In the last year New Jersey has moved from talk to action, from ideas to implementation. The legislature is now considering a revamp of teacher tenure that would hinge on the new evaluation system. “We knew we should tie student achievement to teacher evaluations, but our data systems needed some work. We knew that a strong tenure reform bill was long overdue, but the pieces all needed to fit together. Now we have a legitimate evaluation system rolling out with educators at the table to provide on-the-ground feedback, and we have a committed tenure reform bill. . . . It is exciting to think of where we can go from here.

Kathleen Nugent, Director of Democrats for Education Reform-NJ, on the DOE's pilot program for tying teacher evaluations to student achievement. (NJ Spotlight)